FPS96 Calyptranthes pallens Spicewood, Pale Lidflower1 Edward F. Gilman2 Introduction General Information Spicewood is an upright shrub or small tree with a unique Scientific name: Calyptranthes pallens spicy fragrance that gives this plant its more popular Pronunciation: kal-lip-TRANTH-eez PAL-lenz common name (Fig. 1). This member of the Myrtle family Common name(s): spicewood, pale lidflower has small light green, glossy leaves that have a pink to red Family: Myrtaceae tinge when young. The flowers open when a small lid flips Plant type: tree up from the floral cup. These mostly inconspicuous, spring USDA hardiness zones: 10B through 11 (Fig. 2) and summer blooms are white to beige in color and have a Planting month for zone 10 and 11: year round pleasant fragrance. The fruits change from green to orange, Origin: native to Florida red, yellow, and then black. The tree and the fruits are Uses: trained as a standard; screen; border; espalier; recom- appealing to many species of birds; the smaller birds use the mended for buffer strips around parking lots or for median tree as cover. strip plantings in the highway; superior hedge Availability: somewhat available, may have to go out of the region to find the plant Figure 2. Shaded area represents potential planting range. Figure 1. Spicewood. 1. This document is FPS96, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date October 1999. Reviewed February 2014. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu. 2. Edward F. Gilman, professor, Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other UF/IFAS Extension publications, contact your county’s UF/IFAS Extension office. U.S. Department of Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A & M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension. Description Culture Height: 10 to 15 feet Light requirement: plant grows in part shade/part sun Spread: 6 to 10 feet Soil tolerances: occasionally wet; acidic; slightly alkaline; Plant habit: oval sand; loam; clay Plant density: moderate Drought tolerance: moderate Growth rate: moderate Soil salt tolerances: unknown Texture: medium Plant spacing: 36 to 60 inches Foliage Other Leaf arrangement: opposite/subopposite Roots: usually not a problem Leaf type: simple Winter interest: no special winter interest Leaf margin: entire Outstanding plant: not particularly outstanding Leaf shape: ovate Invasive potential: not known to be invasive Leaf venation: pinnate Pest resistance: long-term health usually not affected by Leaf type and persistence: evergreen pests Leaf blade length: 2 to 4 inches Leaf color: green Fall color: no fall color change Use and Management Fall characteristic: not showy Spicewood may be used as a specimen, or can be clipped into a hedge or maintained as a foundation plant. It can be Flower trained into a small, multi-trunk tree. Flower color: white Spicewood prefers a full sun to light shade location in the Flower characteristic: inconspicuous and not showy; landscape. It is adaptable to many soils and is moderately spring flowering; summer flowering; fall flowering drought tolerant. However, this plant grows best in moist to wet areas. Fruit Fruit shape: oval Pests and Diseases Fruit length: unknown No pests or diseases are of major concern. Fruit cover: dry or hard Fruit color: red; yellow; black Fruit characteristic: attracts birds Trunk and Branches Trunk/bark/branches: not particularly showy; typically multi trunked or clumping stems Current year stem/twig color: brown Current year stem/twig thickness: thin Calyptranthes pallens Spicewood, Pale Lidflower 2.